The invention relates to a scooter comprising a chassis which has a guide bearing for a steering column holding the front wheel and a supporting arm, which includes a seat, for a pivotable footboard which is provided with a rear wheel.
Known scooters comprise a chassis which substantially has a guide bearing for a steering column holding the front wheel and footboard provided with a rear wheel, which is either rigidly connected to the guide bearing or is coupled to same so as to be pivotable from a locked usage position into a transport position. For equipping scooters of this type with a seat it has already been proposed to fix a seat to the supporting arm that connects the footboard with the guide bearing. However, on the one hand this involves additional constructional measures, on the other hand the use of the scooter in a standing position is limited.
The invention is therefore based on the object to configure a scooter of the above-described type with comparatively simple constructional means such that it may optionally be used with the seat, without affecting the use of the scooter with a footrest on the footboard.
The object is achieved by the invention in that the supporting arm connected to the footboard is coupled to the guide bearing so as to be pivotable about an axis that extends through the center of the rear wheel.
These measures yield two possible usage positions for the chassis portion, which is formed by the supporting arm and the footboard, relative to the guide bearing and the steering column. As this chassis portion is pivoted by 180° about an axis for those two usage positions, the axis extending through the center of the rear wheel, the rear wheel adopts a corresponding position of use in both usage positions, which represents a constructional requirement for a consistent handling of the scooter in those two usage positions owing to a corresponding wheelbase.
In the position when used as a conventional scooter, the footboard runs substantially parallel to the road surface, so that the foot can be placed on the footboard in the usual manner. Upon a 180° rotation of the supporting arm for the footboard, the footboard projects upwardly from the rear wheel and supports the supporting arm, on which the seat is provided, now projecting rearwardly from the steering column. For positioning the seat, the supporting arm may be mounted to be rotatable about its axis. Particularly favorable constructional conditions are obtained, however, if the seat is arranged on the side of the supporting arm that faces away from the footboard. The scooter can thus serve as a training bicycle for a user sitting on same, whereby the legs can be pushed off from the ground laterally beside the supporting arm of the chassis, namely without being obstructed by the footboard.
The chassis portion formed by the supporting arm and the footboard can be locked in the two usage positions relative to the guide bearing by means of a locking device, e.g. a locking pin or a clamping screw. To this end, the locking device is to be configured such that an unintended unlocking during the use of the scooter is prevented.
Particularly advantageous constructional conditions are obtained if the supporting arm and the footboard enclose the same angle with the pivot axis. Thus, it is ensured that the footboard and the supporting arm have an approximately identical length, thereby guaranteeing advantageous use conditions, especially if it is considered that the pivot bearing for the supporting arm is preferably provided on the guide bearing for the steering column at a ground clearance that is adapted to the height of the seat.
Although the chassis portion formed of the supporting arm and the footboard is mounted about a pivot axis extending through the center of the rear wheel it is possible to configure the scooter collapsible for the transport thereof if the footboard is mounted on the supporting arm to be pivotable about an axis parallel to the rear wheel axle from a locked usage position into a transport position. If, in the usage position as an ordinary scooter, the footboard is pivoted towards the supporting arm the rear wheel is placed against the supporting arm in the region of the pivot bearing for the supporting arm, resulting in a compact transport position.